Ergon-Verlag

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Contrary to the widely spread public belief that the Islamic world is foreign to the concept of individuality and that it is a characteristic achievement of European modernity, this volume illustrates the existence of Islamic manuscripts and pieces of work that deal with the topic of oneself, dating back as far as to the 15^th century. The contributions contained in this collection comprise analytical studies of texts of various times and origins, all treating the subject of the individual, either as an historical subject or a philosophical or social entity. This volume hereby not only offers an excellent introduction into the topic of individuality and the self-staging in Islamic written culture, but also serves as a source for transcultural comparison, shifting the focus in this field away from Europe towards the Islamic region. 

Stefan Reichmuth is a lecturer of Oriental Studies at the University of Bochum and is specialized in the fields of Arabic literature and language, Islamic education in Africa, the evolution of Islamic scholar’s networks as well as the history of education and scholarship of the Islamic world from the 18^th century until present. Florian Schwarz teaches Middle Eastern and Asian History at the University of Seattle and focuses mainly on the study of Persian sources, historiography and biography of the early modern era.